Istanbul protests: Second day of unrest in Turkey

[Hussein]

Istanbul protests: Second day of unrest in Turkey

Turkey is entering a second day of protests after clashes between police and demonstrators left dozens of people injured in Istanbul on Friday.

The protest began as a sit-in over plans to redevelop Gezi Park in Taksim Square, but escalated and became violent after police used tear gas.

Tear gas was again fired on Saturday morning as hundreds of protesters marched over a Bosphorus bridge.

The unrest has spread as far as Ankara, Bodrum, Konya and Izmir.

Hundreds of protesters marched over the bridge connecting the Asian and European shores of Istanbul on Saturday morning to try to reach the main square.

Police fired tear gas to try to disperse them and some protesters threw rocks.

The BBC's Louise Greenwood in Istanbul says police from as far afield as Antalya are being drafted in to help quell the violence.

She says the central Taksim district and surrounding areas remain cordoned off and bridges are closed to traffic.

Istanbul's governor said a dozen people were admitted to hospital and more than 60 people detained after Friday's clashes, which continued into the night.

In Ankara, protesters staged what they described as a solidarity rally, with many participants chanting: "Everywhere is resistance, everywhere is Taksim!"

The US has expressed concern over Turkey's handling of the protests and Amnesty International condemned the police's tactics.

Witnesses said tear gas was deployed randomly on people who were "by and large protesting peacefully".

'Creeping Islamisation'
Demonstrators had gathered in Gezi Park to contest the controversial redevelopment project aimed at easing congestion around Taksim Square, which involved uprooting trees.

Opponents of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's plans say the park is one of the few green areas left in central Istanbul.

Correspondents say the issue has helped highlight unhappiness among young people towards the government and ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party over what they see as creeping Islamisation.

Last week, Turkey's parliament approved legislation restricting the sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks between 22:00 and 06:00.

The prime minister's AK Party has its roots in political Islam, but he says he is committed to Turkey's state secularism.

Mr Erdogan has been in power since 2002 and some in Turkey have complained that his government is becoming increasingly authoritarian.

Earlier this month, riot police clashed with tens of thousands of people attempting to hold a May Day march in Istanbul.

our Turkish friends in this forum will be welcomed for understanding what is happening

 

[somebozo]

Now why is Turkey behaving like Assad? Shooting on protesters?? Shame Shame AKP is the shame of Turkish nation its like voting Nazi's to power.

 

[Hack-Hook]

well ,if they want to uproots trees they at least had to plant the same amount of trees .and this is far more important in cities ,were they tend to plant skyscrapers rather than vegetation.

 

[Hussein]

 

[MooshMoosh]

It's probably only less than 5% of them who were involved in the protest and in a few days people will forget it. They did this before years ago about secular thing then nothing happened on the next day but this one is differen because of police aggressions. I don't think anyone wants Erdogan to go because I was being told that he had made the country's economics and military far better than the previous secular governments. So he will probably remain in power.

 

[Battle of Kursk]

The protesters are mostly the secularists and those who uphold higher value to human rights as far as I could discern.

it's not exactly on topic but I rather not open a new thread:

ISTANBUL — A court here handed down a suspended 10-month prison term on Monday for Fazil Say, an internationally acclaimed Turkish pianist and composer convicted of insulting Islam and offending Muslims in postings on Twitter.

Mr. Say, 42, who has performed with major orchestras in places around the world, including New York, Berlin and Tokyo, said during earlier hearings that the accusations against him went “against universal human rights and laws.” The sentence was suspended for five years, meaning that the pianist will not be sent to prison unless he is convicted of new offenses within that period.

In recent years, many intellectuals, writers and artists have been prosecuted for statements about Islam and Turkish identity, both of which the pro-Islamic government seeks to shield from criticism. Social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter, however, have rarely figured in previous trials, although Turks are active users of the sites.

The messages cited in the indictment were Mr. Say’s personal remarks referring to a poem by a famous 11th-century Persian poet, Omar Khayyam, that poked fun at an Islamic vision of the afterlife. The poem was sent to Mr. Say from another user before he forwarded it.

In another personal Twitter post, he joked about the rapid call to prayer at a nearby mosque, questioning whether the muezzin who made the call wanted to get away quickly for a drink.

Mr. Say, who denied the charges, is known for his critical stance against the government’s social and cultural policies. He has said publicly that he is an atheist, a rare statement in a country where the bulk of its more than 75 million people identify themselves as Muslims. “Would it be for the government to decide whether a person believes in God or not?” Mr. Say said on CNN Turk, a private television news channel, in a recent interview. “It is hard for them to put me in jail.”

Many intellectuals and writers, including the Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk, have faced similar charges in recent years, prompting heavy international criticism of Turkey’s record on freedom of speech and human rights.

Mr. Pamuk was fined $3,700 for saying in a Swiss newspaper that Turks “have killed 30,000 Kurds and one million Armenians,” the last number a reference to the 1915 Armenian genocide by the Ottoman Army, a deeply contentious issue in Turkey.

In other trials, dozens of writers and intellectuals and many journalists face a wide range of terrorism-related charges, hampering Turkey’s efforts to join the European Union, which sets high judicial standards for countries that want to join.

Hundreds of Mr. Say’s fans and supporters have attended the hearings to protest his prosecution. He has continued to perform nationally and internationally. When the sentence was handed down, he was in southern Germany for a concert.

In a written statement, Mr. Say said he was concerned about the implications of the court’s judgment for freedom of expression in his country because he had been sentenced even though “I’ve committed no crime.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/16/w...nist-sentenced-for-twitter-postings.html?_r=0

 

[Battle of Kursk]

Video:

 

[manlion]

2011 - "I support Syrian revolution"

2013 - "I too support the Turkish revolution"

 

[Battle of Kursk]

Thousands of people flooded Istanbul's main square after police withdrew following one of the largest demonstrations against Turkey's Islamist-rooted government.

Amnesty International said there had been two deaths, with Western allies including Britain and the US calling on the Turkish government to show restraint.

Taksim Square has become the epicentre of demonstrations that have left dozens injured and many affected by tear gas fired by police.

What began as an outcry against plans to build a shopping centre has snowballed into a broader protest against what critics claims is the government's conservative and authoritarian agenda.

Since the first clashes erupted on Friday, unrest has spread to other cities across the country.

On Saturday, police in Ankara blocked a group of demonstrators from marching on the parliament and the prime minister's office.

Officers fired tear gas and turned water cannons on demonstrators.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan admitted there had been examples of "extreme" police action.

But he added: "I call on the protesters to stop their demonstrations immediately."

The interior ministry said that legal action would be taken against police officers who had acted "disproportionately" and added 939 people had been arrested in more than 90 demonstrations over three days in Turkey.

The country's Doctors' Association said four people have permanently lost their eyesight after being hit by gas canisters or plastic bullets.

Turkish PM Defiant As Protests Rage On

some photos:

 

[Battle of Kursk]

Here are a few more photos:

 

[Battle of Kursk]

This is from today:

If no one cares and no one is reading this i can stop.

Can a Turk (or any other with good knowledge on the subject) help me understand why Ardogan does not organize protests which support him? I am confident there are many more that support him then these demonstrators?

 

[T-123456]

If his supporters would come out,it would be all out war(Erdogan knows that),voting for Erdogan and beeing his supporter are two different things.
Most of the people voted for his economic achievements,they tought he does well.
People didnt know then(at least most of them didnt) what he is trying to do(turning the country in a new caliphate).
As you can see there are NO political parties on the streets,just people from kemalist,communist,rightestsetc to even islamists).
All sides united against Erdogan,people just letting him know;Dont go to far!

 

[Ceylal]

It's probably only less than 5% of them who were involved in the protest and in a few days people will forget it. They did this before years ago about secular thing then nothing happened on the next day but this one is differen because of police aggressions. I don't think anyone wants Erdogan to go because I was being told that he had made the country's economics and military far better than the previous secular governments. So he will probably remain in power.

More likely,the Arab spring in reverse landed in the shores of Turkey! days, over 1000 wounded, M.Erdogan back down and recalled its police to the barracks...Turks are tired of him and the AKP! The mosque is the excuse that set fire in the young Turks belly.

Their is another movement known "the kissing day" le jour du baiser who is actually taking place again Erdogan GOV. banishment of alcohol and limitation of Turkish civil liberties...

 

[Battle of Kursk]

@T-123456

Thanks for clarifying a bit. Ardogan indeed managed to do good for the economy, as I understand that's what helped him do his "reforms" in the military.

Can you help me understand what are the protesters demands? I am not sure they asked for him to go? Do they just want him to cancel the law that went into effect about a week ago? maybe it's part of the reason this started, but now the demonstration seem to be much more.

I remember the last time the secularists demonstrated, it led to nothing, do you think that this time it would be different?
I hope you can help me with at least a few of these questions, thanks for your effort

 

[T-123456]

Their(our)demands are clear;Erdogan fuccckkk offfffffff!
All the restrictions,law changes,new rules,foreighn policy,kurdish issue,islamisation(islamic ruling)etc...
You just need a flame to start a fire.
People have had enough of this clown,AND HE IS A CLOWN.
Never in my life ive heard people from around the world making fun of a turkish president.
But this clown turned the country into a circus.
This time its all sides,when that happens you know you have to be carefull,he knows that.
He will try evrything in his power(the police and judicial system are his people)to save his azz.
Lets see what his next move will be.